


Safety

by regenderate



Series: Fanzine Prompts [9]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2019-08-30
Packaged: 2020-09-30 10:30:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20445671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/regenderate/pseuds/regenderate
Summary: It’s easier to say in the dark, somehow. She knows Rose is there, but she doesn’t have to see her face.(Thirteen Week Day 5: Rescue)





	Safety

**Author's Note:**

> this is possibly the shortest thing i've posted to ao3 in literal years but in my defense i've had a busy week! i just moved into my dorm for the year and now i'm doing peer advisor training which takes up quite a bit of time. we'll see if i write anything for tomorrow and saturday! i want to but i've got more training tomorrow and then i work all day saturday (also with incoming students...) 
> 
> also don't ask why rose is there she just is. assume something timey-wimey happened and now she's immortal so like. the usual

She’s dying, she’s drowning, she’s gasping for air—

There’s a hand—

And it slips. 

And she’s dying again.

Every time she thinks she’s about to die, a hand grabs her again, and every time she thinks she’s going to make it, the hand slips.

Over and over and over—

Until the hand pulls her up again, and it pulls her up and up and up, and then—

She wakes up.

She thrashes out, still trying to fight her way up and out of the water, but she’s dry, she’s tangled up in blankets, the blankets are dry, and—

There’s a hand on her shoulder.

She gives one more kick, just in case, and hits what feels like a thigh, and then she realizes the hand is rubbing soothing circles, and then she remembers—

She’s safe.

She’s in bed.

She was only sleeping, it was only a dream.

It’s Rose’s hand on her shoulder, Rose pulling her closer and pressing soft kisses to the top of her head, Rose whispering, “You’re okay,” into her hair.

The Doctor rolls over.

“Sorry,” she whispers. “Did I hurt you?”

Rose shakes her head. The Doctor can feel the motion better than see it in the TARDIS’s artificial night, Rose’s hair brushing against her cheek.

“Woke me up,” she says, “but you know I don’t mind. ‘S not like I need the sleep.”

“Still,” the Doctor says. “I feel bad. You shouldn’t have to deal with all this.” It’s easier to say in the dark, somehow. She knows Rose is there, but she doesn’t have to see her face.

“You deal with me,” Rose answers.

“Of course I do,” the Doctor says. “I love you.”

Rose laughs.

“And you don’t think I love you just as much?” she asks.

The Doctor buries her face in the pillow.

“I hadn’t thought of that,” she admits, muffled.

Rose pulls her arm tighter around the Doctor.

“I know,” she says. “Just— you don’t have to be the hero all the time, yeah? Let me rescue you sometimes.”

“You rescue me all the time,” the Doctor says. “Like last week when I almost fell out of the TARDIS.”

Rose laughs again. 

“You know what I mean,” she says. “Just— we’re here for each other.”

The Doctor smiles. She’s close enough to Rose that she’s sure Rose can feel the motion, and she can feel Rose’s returning smile against the top of her head. It’s nice, to be this close. Comforting. Safe.

The Doctor’s never been safe.

She still doesn’t quite believe it.

But this is definitely as close as she’s going to get.

When she falls asleep again, holding and being held by Rose, she dreams she’s floating in gentle waves.

**Author's Note:**

> so as mentioned above i've been short on time so i wrote this in like. half an hour. i'm concerned my characterization might have suffered for it but c'est la vie i'm having a great time out here in the forest


End file.
